AMAS Musical Theatre Production Files, 1978-1992

Links

• View catalog record
• View finding aid

Creator

AMAS Musical Theatre (New York, N.Y.)

Location

Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division

Extent

• 7 lin. ft. (18 archival boxes)

Scope/Contents Note

The AMAS Musical Theatre production files consist of documentation for thirty-six plays produced by AMAS, including both original plays and well known plays such as"It's so nice to be civilized," "Bojangles," "Jam," "Juba," "Blackberries," and "The buck stops here." Revivals haveincluded "Bye Bye Birdie," "Carousel," and "My Fair Lady."A variety of material can be found in the files; however not every kind of material will be available for each production. The following list provides a sampling of files: attendance sheets; audition sheets, budgets, cast lists/contact sheets; casting lists and notices; contracts; costume inventories; cue sheets; equity contracts; flyers and programs; memoranda and correspondence; music and lyrics; performance reports; production schedules; rehearsal logs, schedules and reports; reviews; scene breakdown sheets; scripts-blocking/production/master/music; set design and illustrations/lighting/props; sound; stage manager's notes; and VIP lists. Additionally, the collection includes background information about AMAS and Rosetta LeNoire, AMAS's Eubie Blake Youth Theatre, programs and flyers for productions not represented in the files, and certificates awarded to AMAS.

Biographical/Historical Notes

AMAS Musical Theatre (formerly AMAS Repertory Theatre) wasfounded by actress Rosetta LeNoire in 1969 as a non-profitperforming arts company in New York City. LeNoire conceived of the idea for a multiracial troupe in responseto the rift she observed between African Americans and whites during that period.

Originally known as the AMAS Repertory Theatre (amas means "you love" in Latin), its name was changed in 1989 to reflect its focus on musical theater. AMAS has producedplays written especially for this company as well as thosewritten by established black and mainstream playwrights, and has also produced revivals of well-known plays. The Mainstage Musical Theatre, as the production company was known, provided opportunities for writers, composers and lyricists to create new works, free of the pressures of the commercial theaters. Serving as AMAS's artistic director, Miss LeNoire has overseen the creation of over forty original musicals, including "Bubbling Brown Sugar" and "Conrack."

Since the 1970's AMAS has sponsored a youth theater where training in music theory, drama, vocal technique, dance movement and stagecraft was offered to young people,culminating in a production. School groups, adult workshops and senior citizens are other groups with whom AMAS either worked with directly or performed for. This theatrical troupe has won a number of awards for its outstanding contributions.

Controlled Access Terms

• LeNoire, Rosetta, 1911-2002.
• AMAS Musical Theatre (New York, N.Y.)
• African American theater -- New York (State) -- New York.
• Theater -- New York (State) -- New York -- History -- 20th century.
• American drama -- 20th century.
• American drama -- African American authors.
• Dramatists, American -- 20th century.
• Authors -- United States.
• African American dramatists.
• African American authors.
• African American actors.
• African American actresses.
• Musical theater -- New York (State) -- New York.
• Musical scores.
• Plays.
• Scripts.

Additional Creator Names

• Pockress, Lee. Conrack: a new musical.
• Lamb, Wendy. Juba.
• AMAS Musical Theatre (New York, N.Y.)
• Schomburg NEH Blacks on Stage: African-American Theater Arts Collections Project.